25% reservation for women in police force: Governor

After having opened up night shifts to women across all sectors, the state government is all set to reserve 25% jobs for women in the police force.

“My government has approved reservation for women in 25% of posts in police recruitment,” Governor Vajubhai R Vala said during his address to a joint session of the legislature on Monday.

Karnataka has among the lowest share of women cops, with them forming just 5% of the total police force.

The Governor’s announcement on reservation for women in the police force was a Cabinet decision taken in February 2019 during the H D Kumaraswamy-led Congress-JD(S) coalition government. This was just one of the many things in Vala’s address that resulted in the Opposition Congress and JD(S) accusing the ruling BJP of rehashing policy decisions taken by previous governments.

During his speech, the Governor also announced that the government would take up watershed development to prevent drought in 100 drought-prone taluks by merging Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayi Yojana (PMKSY).

The Governor’s address to members of both the Houses, emphasised on the government’s efforts in addressing the crisis arising due to floods, last year.

“My government has sanctioned Rs 5 lakh each for reconstruction and Rs 3 lakh each for repairs to severely damaged houses and Rs 50,000 each for partially damaged houses. The financial assistance sanctioned for house damage is the highest in the country. My government has so far released financial assistance of Rs 827 crore to more than 1.24 lakh damaged houses,” he stated.